For instance, FIGS. 5, 6 and 7 show a vertical type battery connector as is disclosed in Taiwanese Patent Application No. 88100725, filed Jan. 18, 1999. The connector, generally designated 12, includes a dielectric or insulative housing, generally designated 14, which mounts a plurality of conductive terminals, generally designated 16 and one of which is shown in FIG. 16. The housing includes a top wall which defines a top circuit board mounting face 18, a bottom wall which defines a bottom circuit board mounting face 20, a front connecting face 22 and a rear terminating face 24. Each conductive terminal 16 includes a main body 26 having a first contact portion 28 extending from one side thereof and outwardly of rear terminating face 24 of the housing for connection to an appropriate circuit trace on a circuit board 30 (FIG. 7). A second contact portion extends from an opposite side of main body 26 and outwardly of front connecting face 22 of the housing for electrical connection to an appropriate contact 30 of an electronic device such as a battery 36 (FIG. 7). In this particular connector construction, a third contact portion 38 projects upwardly from main body 26 for engaging an appropriate circuit trace on the underside of a second circuit board 40 (FIG. 7).
In battery connection 12 of FIGS. 5-7, it can be seen that first contact portions 28 of terminals 16 project outwardly of rear terminating face 24 of the housing for electrical connection to circuit board 30, while second contact portions 32 of the terminals project from the opposite or front connecting face 22 of the housing for electrical connection to battery 36. This arrangement of the contact portions of the terminals which results in a connecting width “W2” for the battery connector between first and second contact portions 28 and 32, respectively, between circuit board 30 and battery 36. With the ever-increasing miniaturization of electrical equipment such as mobile telephones, attempts constantly are being made in the industry to reduce these connecting widths.
FIGS. 8, 9 and 10 show a vertical type battery connector, generally designated 40, as is disclosed in Taiwanese Utility Model Patent Application No. 91200828 which was filed on Jan. 28, 2002. In this disclosure, battery connector 40 includes a dielectric housing, generally designated 42, which mounts a plurality of conductive terminals, generally designated 44.
Dielectric housing 42 of battery connector 40 includes a plurality of upright walls 46 extending upwardly from an upper surface of a bottom wall 48. Upright walls 46 are spaced from each other and adjacent pairs of the upright walls form a plurality of terminal-receiving passages 50. A front wall 52 is further formed with openings 54 aligned with terminal-receiving passages 50 so that the passages extend through the front and rear ends thereof. Opposing wall surfaces 56 and 58 of upright walls 46 of each terminal-receiving passage 50 have retaining blocks 60 projecting into passages 50 at positions adjacent a bottom wall 62 of each passage 50 and spaced therefrom. The opposing retaining blocks do not touch each other within each passage as can be seen in FIG. 9, and the retaining blocks are spaced above a bottom wall 62 (FIG. 9) of the respective passage to form a retaining groove 64 as seen in FIG. 10. In addition, a lower surface of bottom wall 48 of the housing is formed with a plurality of downwardly extending partition plates 66 vertically aligned with upright walls 46 to form limiting grooves 68 vertically aligned with terminal-receiving passages 50. Finally, a positioning block projects outwardly from each opposite end of the housing so that the positioning blocks can be used to position battery connector 40 relative to an appropriate mating connecting device.
Each conductive terminal 44 received in a respective one of the terminal-receiving passages 50 in housing 42 is stamped and formed of conductive sheet metal material and includes a main body 72, a first contact portion 74 and a second contact portion 76.
Main body 72 of each terminal 44 is a generally rectangular plate having a first side 72a and a second side 72b. First contact portions 74 extends obliquely downwardly and then obliquely upwardly from first side 72a to form a hook configuration 74a of first contact portion 74 for electrically engaging circuit board 30. Second contact portion 76 is formed in the shape of a U-shaped elastic arm 76a defined by a pair of opposing legs 76b of the U-shaped configuration. Elastic arm 76a projects from second side 72b of main body 72 and outwardly of the terminating face of the connector whereby second contact portion 76 can electrically engage contacts 34 (FIG. 10) of battery 36. Finally, the distal end of elastic arm 76a is provided with a retaining hook 76c which abuts against a back side 52a of front wall 52 of the housing.
During assembly of battery connector 40, conductive terminals 44 are inserted into terminal-receiving passages 50 in the direction of arrow “A” (FIG. 10) until main bodies 72 of the terminals are secured within retaining grooves 64 of the housing. At full assembly, retaining hooks 76c of the terminals engage back sides 52a of front wall 52. It can be seen that the only mounting, retaining or securing means for the entirety of each terminal 44 is at the single main body 72 of the terminal. This retention is achieved solely by the interference fit of main bodies 72 of the terminals. After assembly, contacts 34 of a battery 36 may be appropriately engaged with contact portions 76 of terminals 44 if the battery is engaged in the direction of arrow “B” (FIG. 10). However, difficulties may be encountered if the battery is moved into engagement in the direction of arrow “C”.